Transmigrating to the Three Kingdoms as Lu Bu: I Have a Pseudo-Apocalypse System

Early September, Jizhou, Yecheng.

In the main hall of the governor's mansion, Yuan Shao looked at the replies from various places with a gloomy expression.

Tian Feng returned from Youzhou with Gongsun Zan's reply: the supplies had been received, and he was willing to form an alliance with Yuan Shao. However, Youzhou was harsh and cold, and its military strength was insufficient; it could only promise that if Lü Bu attacked Jizhou, Youzhou could restrain Bingzhou. As for whether to send troops to assist in the battle, that would depend on the timing.

Shen Pei returned from Huainan with Yuan Shu's reply: The Han Dynasty is about to die, and the Yuan family should rise. Yuan Shu has the Imperial Seal in his hands. If Yuan Shao is willing to support Yuan Shu's ascension to the throne, then he can help Yuan Shao and fight against the traitor Lü together.

When Feng Ji returned from Jingzhou, he brought back Liu Biao's reply: he was willing to keep Lü Bu occupied in the south, but he was powerless to launch a direct attack on Lü Bu.

As for Sun Ce, he didn't even meet the envoy; he simply drove the envoy out of Wu Commandery.

"A bunch of cowards!" Yuan Shao slammed the bamboo slips to the ground. "Gongsun Zan wants grain, Yuan Shu wants the throne, Liu Biao is giving them the runaround, and Sun Ce simply ignores them! What use is this alliance?"

Ju Shou advised, "My lord, please calm down. At least Gongsun Zan has promised to keep Bing Province in check, and Liu Biao has promised to keep it in the south. Yuan Shu is also ambitious and wants to become emperor, so it's impossible for him to get along with Lü Bu. With these three things, Lü Bu cannot focus all his efforts on attacking Ji Province, and our army still has a chance of winning."

"Chances of victory?" Yuan Shao gave a bitter laugh. "Gongyu, tell me the truth, does our army really have a chance of winning?"

Ju Shou remained silent.

Tian Feng, however, said, "My lord, to be cowardly before the battle is a cardinal sin in warfare! Ji Province has 100,000 armored soldiers, enough provisions to last three years, fortified cities, deep moats, and the people's hearts are with us. As long as you are determined to defend the cities to the death, even if Lü Bu has 200,000 troops, he will find it difficult to conquer Ji Province. Once his army is exhausted, we can join forces with Gongsun Zan to attack from the north and south, and we will surely defeat him!"

Yan Liang also said, "This humble general is willing to lead elite troops to defend Ye City. If Lü Bu dares to come, he will surely not return!"

Wen Chou, Zhang He, Gao Lan, and other generals shouted in unison, "We are willing to fight to the death!"

Looking at his civil and military officials, Yuan Shao felt somewhat relieved.

Yes, he still has an army of 100,000, the rich lands of Ji and Qing provinces, and these civil and military officials willing to die for him.

Why is it certain that we will lose?

"Good!" Yuan Shao abruptly stood up. "Order all men between the ages of fifteen and fifty in all counties to be conscripted into the army! All funds in the treasury shall be used to manufacture weapons! I intend to assemble an army of 150,000 within three months to fight Lü Bu to the death!"

"Yes!" the crowd shouted in unison.

Yuan Shao then said to Tian Feng, "Yuan Hao, go to Youzhou again and tell Gongsun Zan that if he is willing to send troops to attack Bingzhou, Bingzhou will be entirely ceded to him after the matter is accomplished!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Shen Pei, go to Huainan and tell Yuan Shu that as long as he is willing to send troops to attack Xuzhou and restrain Lü Bu, I will publicly acknowledge him as the head of the Yuan family and support his ascension to the throne as emperor!"

Shen Pei hesitated: "My lord, this..."

Yuan Shao sneered: "No matter how good the throne is, you have to be alive to enjoy it. If we can defeat Lü Bu, it's not too late to contend with Yuan Shu. If we can't defeat Lü Bu, then it's useless to fight for the throne. It's better to promise it to Yuan Shu in exchange for him sending troops."

"Understood."

With each order issued, the entire Ji Province was like a tightly wound machine, running at full speed.

Notices were posted in various counties and prefectures, forcibly conscripting able-bodied men. Officials and soldiers could be seen everywhere in the fields and countryside, arresting people. Those unwilling to serve were whipped on the spot, and their property confiscated.

Blacksmiths worked day and night, forging swords, spears, and armor. Carpenters rushed to make bows, crossbows, and catapults. Granaries were opened wide, and grain was requisitioned, with every grain stored in people's homes being looted.

In just two months, Jizhou was filled with complaints and the people were living in misery.

But Yuan Shao couldn't afford to worry about that now.

He knew this was a battle for survival. Win, and everything would be his; lose, and all would be lost.

Late September, Ye City drill ground.

Yuan Shao ascended the platform to review his troops. Below the platform, newly recruited soldiers stood in rows, their clothes tattered, their faces sallow and emaciated, many still holding wooden sticks and bamboo spears.

But when Yuan Shao looked at the sea of ​​black heads, a surge of heroic spirit welled up in his heart.

"Soldiers!" he shouted. "Lü Bu, the traitor, has held the Emperor hostage and commanded the feudal lords, wreaking havoc on the land. Now he leads his army to invade, seeking to seize our Hebei region. You are all sons of Hebei; how can you allow this foreign invader to invade? I, Yuan Shao, have been a high-ranking official for four generations and have received great favor from the Emperor. Today, I swear here and now: I will lead you to defend Ji Province to the death and fight Lü Bu to the bitter end! Those who achieve merit will be richly rewarded, and those who fear battle will be executed on the spot!"

A few scattered cheers rose from the audience.

Yuan Shao didn't mind and said to Yan Liang, "Intensify training. In three months, I want to see a fighting army!"

"This humble general obeys!" Yan Liang clasped his hands in a fist salute.

In Chang'an, inside the council hall of the Duke of Jin's residence, Lü Bu sat in the main seat, flanked by his advisors Jia Xu, Guo Jia, Xun Yu, Cheng Yu, and Xun You. On the huge map hanging on the wall, the areas of Ji and Qing provinces were prominently marked with a vermilion circle.

"Yuan Shao is still contacting other warlords everywhere and is conscripting soldiers and stockpiling grain on a large scale," Jia Xu placed a scroll of intelligence on the table. "Although Gongsun Zan, Liu Biao, Yuan Shu and others have their own agendas, if Yuan Shao really trains 150,000 new troops in Ji and Qing provinces and then launches a forced conquest, even if our army wins, we will still lose a lot of soldiers."

Guo Jia said, "My lord, I believe this is the perfect opportunity to attack Ji. Yuan Shao is forcibly conscripting able-bodied men, causing widespread resentment among the people and weakening the morale of the army. Most of these new recruits are farmers, untrained, armed with bamboo and wooden spears, and poorly armored. If we wait six months for them to train, although they will still be a rabble, it will be better than they are now. We should take advantage of their incomplete formation and defeat them in one fell swoop, thus minimizing casualties."

Lu Bu tapped his fingers on the table, producing a dull sound.

He recalled the century-long chaos of the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, during which the Chinese population plummeted from fifty or sixty million to less than ten million, leaving only desolate landscapes and exposed bones. Now that he had arrived in this era and had the system's assistance, he should end the chaos as quickly as possible, reduce the deaths of his compatriots, and focus his energy on external conquests.

"What Fengxiao says is absolutely right." Lü Bu raised his eyes. "I intend to send troops to attack Yuan soon, but before that, there is one more thing to do."

Xun Yu understood: "Does my lord mean the imperial examination in the capital on the first day of the tenth month?"

"Exactly." Lü Bu stood up and walked to the map. "The imperial examination is a national policy I established. The first imperial examination in the capital must be held in a grand manner. Firstly, it is to select talented people, and secondly, it is to show the world the new policies of the court. After the imperial examination is over, the list of successful candidates will be announced, and then we will send troops to attack Yuan Shao. This will show that our court is good at both civil and military affairs, and that our royal army is righteous and honorable."

Xun You praised, "My lord is wise. The imperial examination system for selecting talents is an unprecedented innovation. If it is successful, scholars from humble backgrounds throughout the land will surely be loyal to the court. Even if Yuan Shao has the support of powerful families, he will find it difficult to resist the overwhelming trend."

Cheng Yu added, "Furthermore, scholars from Bing, Liang, Si, and Yan prefectures have arrived in the capital one after another, and hundreds of people have gathered in Chang'an. If the process is delayed or hastily handled, it may lose the support of the people."

Lü Bu nodded: "It is settled then. The imperial examination in the capital will be held as scheduled on the first day of the tenth month, and the results will be announced in the Great Han Ten-Day Report on the tenth day of the tenth month."

"Yes!" the crowd shouted in unison.